Mining plow and conveyer apparatus



Sept. 21, 1954 F. BAINBRIDGE MINING PLOW AND -CONVEYER APPARATUS Filed Feb. 1o, 1949 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Sept 21, 1954 F. BAINBRIDGE MINING PLOW AND coNvEYER APPARATUS Filed Feb. 10. 1949 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 A@ hm. mw., Nm.

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F. BAINBRIDGE MINING PLOW AND CONVEYER APPARATUSv sept. 21, 1954 Filed Feb. 1G. 1949 1v LW Sept. 21, 1954. F. BAINBRIDGE MINING PLOW AND CONVEYER APPARATUS Filed Feb. l0, 1949 Patented Sept. 2l, 1954 2,689,716 MINING PLOW AND CONVEYER APPARATUS Featherstone Bainbridge, Fenham, Newcastle-on- Tyne, England, assignor to Huwood Mining Machinery Limited, Gatcshead-on-Tyne, England, a company of Great Britain Application February 10, 1949, Serial No. 75,698

Claims priority, application Great Britain February 12, 1948 I'his invention relates to the mining or winning of coal by slicing or stripping it from a mine or like face by means of a device, herein for convenience termed a plough, which is traversed unyder power along the face and is provided with a wedge formation and a cutting edge to cut and lever away the coal.

The invention is not restricted to the winning of coal in this way but may be appliedto the treatment of mine or like faces of other materials.

Heretofore, the plough has been constructed to slide over the floor and to direct coal on to a chain-scraper conveyor laid along the face and it has been kept up to the coal face by running it along the noor in contact with the conveyor structure which has been made lappropriately heavy or massive for the purpose.

In order to enable the plough to keep satisfactorily up to its work, and particularly when it is to cut a good height of face, it is necessary to provide more reliable support than is possible by merely running it along in contact with the conveyor structure, or even on rails, particularly l where hard coal or like material is to be mined.

An object of the present invention is to provide improved construction suitable to deal with the above requirement.

The essential eiects to be attained are to prevent the plough from tipping over away from the face and from slewing laterally with respect to its direction of travel along the face.

According to this invention, therefore, the

alongthe facesupy conveyor .laidal'ong plough is mounted to travel ported by side structure of a the face, and the conveyor structure l; and the plough are constructedto have such engagement `with each other that in the said travel the plough from thevconveyor is prevented from rising away structure and from partaking of lateral movement with respect to that structure.

Preferably, the plough is given a bridge-like form Vadapted to extend from side to side of the conveyor structure, the bridge being made relatively high or low according to whether the face is correspondingly high or low.

suitably, the conveyor comprises troughing containing appropriate conveying means such as a scraper chain or belt, and the plough is constructed to engage in laterally outwardly directed channel-section members at the sides of the troughing by means of Wheels on the legs of the bridge.

Such wheels preferably comprise horizontal and vertical wheels, the vertical ones engaging the after l are embodied in portable structures the arrows.

1 Claim. (Cl. 262-8) flanges of the channel-section members to prevent the plough from rising in its travel and the horizontal ones engaging the bottom of the channel of such members to prevent lateral movement of the plough.

In plan, the horizontal wheels suitably are arranged at the corners of a triangle or truncated triangle the apex of which is on the face side of the conveyor, but if desired they could be arranged at the corners of a rectangle.

In order to enable the invention to be readily understood one practical example thereof for use in mining coal is illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic plan of a coal face showing a plough and a conveyor and means for hauling the plough. A

Figure 2 is a view to a larger scale showing part of the 4coal face, a sectional plan of the plough and a part, in plan, of the conveyor.

Figure 3 is a rear elevation of parts shown in Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a sectional elevation looking on the right-hand end of Figure 2 and the left-hand en d 4of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary View showing details. Figure 6 embodies aview similar to Figure 4 of a modiiied form of plough, and

Figure 7 is a plan view of the conveyor troughing and associated parts. y

In Figure 1 a` coal face l is shown in process of being strippedby the plough 2 -which is mounted to travel along theconveyor 3 and is able to attack the coalin `either direction of such. travel. The conveyor is laid along the face l and extends atb-oth ends into the gates orroads 4, 5. At the ends the conveyor, lwhich is of sectional character known practice, comprises sections which latter are fitted with wheels engaged with tracks `8, 9 so that they may be moved up in the gates `or roads 4, 5 as the face advances, as indicated by 4 They may be so moved up by rotary sylvesters and haulage ropes, not shown, .and at the same time as they are advanced, sylvesters -or jacks are also applied, at spaced points indicated along the face by the lines 65, to the remainder of the conveyor structure between such end sections, so `as to move that up as well.

The plough is of broadly known formin that it embodies a structure which has wedge-formations at I0, presented in opposite directions, which are operative to attack the coal face I somewhat Vlike the edge end of a chisel and lever it away.

As will be understood, one wedge-formation of 6, 1. These the plough from the plough 2 is effective in one direction of travel of the plough along the coal face I and the other is eiiective when the movement of the plough is in the opposite direction. The coal removed by the plough is loaded by ramps or scoops I6 thereon on to the conveyor 3 during the travel of the plough. The latter comprises a main body or carriage II of bridge-like form, while a part I2 having the wedgeformations IU, and which will for convenience be hereinafter referred to as the wedge part, overhangs the inner side of the conveyor and extends substantially to the level of the floor I3 along the face I, see Figures 2 and 4. In other respects the plough may be of the construction described in the specifications accompanying the concurrent patent a-pplications Serial Nos. 75,697 and 75,699, but it may here be mentioned that it comprises vertical sets of spaced picks or cutters 28 at the thinner end of the wedge-formations I for forming a ker'f such as 2l, Figure '2, ahead of the wedge formations and parallel to the coal face I for entry of such formations to lever away the coil. The sets of picks or cutters are disposed in opposite directions on the respective ends of a carrier 29 oi unitary form mounted on a pair of eccentrics 34 which are driven from motors 45 through gearing 39, 40, 4I, 43 and 44. By means of the eccentrics, the carrier 29 has imparted to it quickly repeatedforward and backward movements with intervening upward and downward movements to cause the sets of picks or cutters 28 to exert a digging action to form the kerf 2'?. One set of picks is operative in one direction of travel of the plough 2 along the face I and the other set can be operative on a return run. As described in the aforesaid specica' tions provision may be made for varying the length of the series of picks or cutters, as by providing additional picks or cutters at Ill, Figure 3, to enable the plough 2 to be used along faces of different heights. The picks or cutters and their manner of operation and the means for driving them from the two motors 45 embodied in the bridge part of the main body or carriage il of the plough, are fully described in the aforesaid specications.

As shown in Figures 2 to 4, the conveyor 3, of Vchain-scraper1 type though alternatively a trough conveyor the plough! mounted to travel along the conveyor troughing on wheels carried by the legs o1" the bridge-like main body II These wheels comprise four vertical wheels il for preventing *rising in its travel, four horizontal wheels I8 also being provided to prevent the plough from slewing horizontally as will be described. The horizontal wheels I8 project inwardly in plan beyond the vertical wheels I'I as will be seen from Figure 2. The conveyor 3 is` made of relatively heavy construction. As shown in Figures 4 and 5, the side members ofits troughing are suitably of Y section built up from Z-section parts I9 placed back to back and secured by bolts 25 to the bottom 2I of the troughing. The bottom ZI is thus elevated so as to provide space beneath for the return night of the conveyor Scrapers 22 and so that the chains 23 of these Scrapers may bear on the inner flanges of the llower Z-section parts I9. Arranged on the outer sides of the troughing I9, 2| are channel-section members 24. These latter have spaced along their length and welded thereto, pairs of lugs 25 which are spigoted to engage holes in such members (Figure These with belt could be used, has

lugs engage over the outer flanges of the side members I9 of the conveyor troughing, Figures 2, 4, 5 and 7, and are secured thereto by removable lpins 2S passed through holes in the parts 25, I9. It will be realized that the construction of the conveyor and members 24 (which latter are formed in sections like the parts IQ of the conveyor), is such that the various parts may be dismantled easily to get at the lower Scrapers and chains or belt of the conveyor, should that be necessary at any time. Between flanges of the members 24the running wheels I'I of the plough are entered. These wheels are slightly coned tc nt between the flanges and there is a pair at each end of the plough carried by parts of, or brackets on, the main body II which depend over or overhang the conveyor on the outside. They are carried on horizontal spindles running in suitable bearings and it will be apparent that the upper'flanges of the members 24 will prevent the plough 2 from rising on either side and that the plough will not tip over away from the coal face I but will be kept up to its work. The horizontal wheels I8 of the plough are carried by lower parts of the main body II and bear on the outside of the web of the members 24. It will be realised that these wheels, which .in plan are situated at the four corners of a truncated isosceles triangle whose apex is on the face side of the conveyor 3, provide a against lateral movement, so that it cannot slew horizontally, -As the plough travels along its weight and lateral forces thereon are exerted, through the wheels il, is, on'the channel members 24 which as stated are secured by the lugs 25 and pins 26 to the outer flanges of the Z-section membersI I9 forming the sides of 'the conveyor troughing. The said flanges, through the lugs and pins, support the plough tracks 24 and, though the outer track members may, as shown in Figures 4 and 7, bear on oor cross-members 'I6 disposed at the joints in the side. members of the conveyor troughing, the bulk of the weight of, and the lateral stresses on, the plough are taken by the conveyor troughing as will be understood. The plough track members 24 lend weight to the conveyor structure which is already of relatively heavy construction as aforesaid,V andv thus assist in keeping the plough up VAltogether, therefore, the `wedge body H ofthe plough as illustrated by Figures, extends from side to side over'the conveyor 3 at va good height.

This form of vplough is intended for use on a normal coal seam, say 3 6" (about l metre) high which is relatively high compared with some seams. At the height stated the bridging vpart of the plough is sun'icientlyhig'h above the conveyor 3 to enable the cut coal. brought into the conveyor troughing le, 2i by plough ramp or scoop I5, to pass beneath the bridge to delivery from the conveyor atthe main gate 4 when the plough is operating during travel from the main gate 4 to the tail gate 5. Thus, the plough can be operative in both directions of movement thereof along the face. In one direction, of course, i. e. with the plough moving unidirectionally with the conveyor scrapers or belt,

the coal does not need to pass the bridge, but Y when stripping the face by moving the plough in the opposite direction this coal, ramped or scooped on to the conveyor, must pass the plough and it does so through the bridge-form main body or carriage Il.

In a modified apparatus for use in low seams, the conveyor construction and the mounting of the plough 2 on the conveyor may be similar to those above described as shown in Figure 6. The bridge-form main body or carriage Il of the plough, however, is of iiatter construction with the motors i5 for driving the kerf cutting picks in a lower position. In this apparatus, the bridge cannot be high enough for the coal to pass through it and therefore the plough is made operative to strip coal from the face on one direction of traverse only of the plough along the face, being flitted back to the starting point for a fresh out. If desired, therefore, a form of plough may be used which comprises only a single wedgeformation and set of picks 29 for stripping the face and a single ramp or scoop I8 for directing the coal on to the conveyor. However, as compared with the Figure 4 construction, appropriate modification of the driving means between the motors i5 and the picks 28 would be necessary as will be understood.

Any suitable power means may be adopted for effecting travel of the plough along the conveyor troughing and one advantageous arrangement comprises an endless rope 4S driven by a motor 55 on the wheeled structure 6 on the gate 4 as described in the specification accompanying the concurrent patent application Serial No. 75,699. The apparatus described may also be provided with features, other than those already referred to, to be found described in the specifications belonging to the concurrent patent applications Serial Nos. 75,697 and 75,699. Y

It will be noticed that certain reference characters shown in the drawings are not mentioned in the above description. They belong to the concurrent patent applications aforesaid and are included in the drawings of the present application in the belief that they will serve the purpose s of easier reference to the I claim:

Apparatus for stripping material from a face underground, comprising a conveyor to be laid along said face and a plough which is adapted to travel along said face on said conveyor while stripping said face and loading the stripped concurrent applications.

material on to said conveyor, said plough having on the face side a wedge formation of which the thinner end is presented forwardly relatively to the direction of travel of the plough and lies substantially parallel to said face, said plough also having kerng means operative to cut a kerf in said material substantially parallel to said face in the top to bottom and longitudinal. directions thereof for entry of said thinner end of said wedge formation, characterised in that said oon- Veyor comprises along each opposite side thereof at conveyor level a channel member disposed with the channel opening outwardly, and said plough comprises two sets of vertical wheels and two sets of horizontal wheels, one set of the horizontal wheels being adapted to engage the bottom of the channel of one side channel member of the conveyor and the other set to engage the bottom of the channel of the other side channel member of the conveyor, while one set of the vertical wheels is adapted to engage between the flanges of one side channel member of the conveyor and the other set is adapted to engage between the flanges of the other side channel i; member of the conveyor, said vertical wheels being of such diameter as substantially to ll the distance between the flanges of said channel members of the conveyor and the said horizontal wheels projecting inwardly in plan beyond the vertical wheels.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 294,247 McDonald Feb. 26, 1884 952,449 Greenway Feb. 16, 1904 809,350 Wissemann Jan. 9, 1906 1,415,187 Miller May 9, 1922 1,483,549 Morgan Feb. 12, 1924 1,522,693 Morgan Jan. 13, 1925 1,563,153 Brackett et al Nov. 24, 1925 1,710,801 Morgan Apr.. 30, 1929 1,735,583 Morgan Nov.. 12, 1929 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 5,955 Great Britain Jan. 25, 1896 331,618 France Aug. 1, 1903 590,604 Great Britain July 23, 1947 606,525 Great Britain Aug. 16, 1948 616,779 Germany Aug. 8, 1935 896,299 France Apr. 24, 1944 

